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Egyptian Texts II

Code: 44504
Credits: 10
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Egyptology OB 2

Contact lecturer

Name :
Josep Cervello Autuori
Email :
josep.cervello@uab.cat

Teaching staff

Marc Orriols Llonch

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

Have previously taken the modules Egyptian Texts I and Egyptian Epigraphy and Paleography.

Objectives

The general objective of this module is for students to specialise in Egyptian philology, specifically in the translation, analysis, and commentary of Middle and Late Egyptian literary and religious texts in hieroglyphic and hieratic script, through eminently practical classes. These are the contents they will have to work on:

1) Hieratic palaeography of Middle and Late Egyptian texts.

2) Translation, analysis, and commentary of Middle and Late Egyptian literary and religious texts in hieroglyphic and hieratic script, paying special attention to their cultural context.

Learning outcomes

  1. Knowledge and understanding that provide a basis or opportunity for originality in developing and / or applying ideas, often in a research context.
  2. That students are able to integrate knowledge and handle complexity and formulate judgments based on information that was incomplete or limited, include reflecting on social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgments.
  3. Critically analyze a given scientific problem based on historical and cultural sources.
  4. Act in a creative and original way with solidarity and spirit of scientific collaboration.
  5. Assess the quality, self-imposed, rigor, responsibility and social commitment, both in training and in the scientific and informative work.
  6. Teaming up with special sensitivity interdisciplinarity.
  7. That students have the learning skills that enable them to continue studying in a way that will be largely self-directed or autonomous.
  8. Medioegipcias critically interpret textual sources of high difficulty.
  9. Neoegipcias critically interpret textual sources.
  10. Translate and interpret Middle Egyptian texts of high difficulty.
  11. Translate and interpret literary Neo Egyptian texts .

Contents

SUBJECT 1. MIDDLE EGYPTIAN LITERARY TEXTS II


Translation and grammatical study of the complete History of Sinuhe and selected passages from other Middle Egyptian literary and religious texts of a high level.


SUBJECT 2. LATE EGYPTIAN LITERARY TEXTS IN HIERATIC SCRIPT


A. HIERATIC PALAEOGRAPHY


1) Hieratic script: signs, ligatures, layout.


2) Exercises in reading hieratic Middle and Late Egyptian texts.


B. LATE EGYPTIAN TEXTS


Reading of the hieratic original, translation, and grammatical study of the complete Tale of the Two Brothers (D'Orbiney papyrus) and selected passages from other Late Egyptian texts.

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Follow-up tutorials 5 0.2 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Study and personal or group work by the student 160 6.4 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
In-class exams and tests 15 0.6 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Classroom interventions 10 0.4 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Theoretical and practical classroom lessons with the support of ICT 60 2.4 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

Specification of what the STUDENT AUTONOMOUS ACTIVITY consists of:

a) Study (studying is that process or set of personal or group activities that leads to knowing things and being able to explain them in a coherent and orderly way, orally or in writing).

b) Personal work: consultation of grammars, dictionaries, text editions, and reference works in the field of Egyptian philology; reading of specialised bibliography; exercises in writing (hieroglyphic and hieratic) and reading; translation, analysis, and commentary of Middle and Late Egyptian texts; team work on the translation of Middle and Late Egyptian texts; preparation of interventions in class and tutorials; preparation of continuous assessment activities and exams and tests in class.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
4 group work on Middle and Late Egyptian texts 35% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Short in-class exercices on hieratic palaeography and hieratic Middle and Late Egyptian texts 15% 0 0 2, 7, 9, 11
3 exams on Middle Egyptian texts 50% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

This subject does not allow a single assessment.

To pass the module students must pass the evaluation of the two subjects that compose it (Middle Egyptian Literary Texts II; Late Egyptian Literary Texts in Hieratic Script). Otherwise, students will obtain a Not Assessed/Not Submitted course grade.

Each of the two subjects that make up the module is assessed separately. The final mark for the module results from the average of the marks for the two subjects.

To pass a subject, students must pass all the exams and in-class assessments set for that subject; for each of these, students will always be allowed to sit at least one make-up assestment activity (see below).

In the table, the hours of dedication to each activity are not specified because they may vary from one student to another. The approximate total hours of the student's personal work are specified in the table in the "Methodology" section.

The assessment will consist of the three types of activities specified in the table.

As regards the grading review procedure, once the lecturer has issued the marks for an assessment activity, students may request a review tutorial.

With regard to make-up exams and in-class assestments, the teacher will agree the dates with the students, which must be within the month following the original test or exam. Students who have passed a test or exam but wish to improve their marks may also sit the make-up exam. In principle, the work and activities that the student carries out in an autonomous way are not subject to recovery.

This subject entirely prohibits the use of AI technologies in all of its activities.

In the event of a student committing any irregularity (plagiarism, cheating, use of AI) that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.

Bibliography

A. HIERATIC PALEOGRAPHY

Gosline, Sheldon L. 1999. Writing Late Egyptian Hieratic. A Beginner's Primer. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns.

Möller, Georg 1927-1945. Hieratische Lesestücke für den akademischen Gebrauch. 3vols. Leipzig: Hinrichs'sche Buchhandlung.

Möller, Georg 1927-1936. Hieratische Paläographie. Leipzig: J.C. Hinrichs.

Roberson, Joshua A. 2018. A Very Brief Introduction to Hieratic (open-access teaching material).

Schrauder, Julienne N.; Laudenklos, Frederic G. 2011. Neue Paläografie des Mittelägyptischen Hieratisch. Berlin: Epubli.

B. TRANSLATIONS OF LITERARY TEXTS

Into Spanish and Catalan

Fortuny Boladeras, Jordi (catalan version); Pastor, Perico (illustrations). 2013. La vida de Sinuhè o el gust de la mort. Barcelona: Associació de Bibliòfils de Barcelona.

Galán, José Manuel 1998. Cuatro viajes en la literatura del antiguo Egipto. Madrid: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 1998.

Galán, José Manuel 2002. El imperio egipcio. Inscripciones, ca. 1550-1300 a.C. Pliegos de Oriente 7. Madrid-Barcelona: Trotta-Edicions de la Universitat de Barcelona.

López, Jesús 20051, 20222. Cuentos y fábulas del antiguo Egipto. Pliegos de Oriente 9. Madrid-Barcelona: Trotta-Publicacions i edicions de la Universitat de Barcelona.

Serrano Delgado, José Miguel 19931, 20212. Textos para la historia antigua de Egipto. Madrid: Cátedra.

Into other languages

Allen, James P. 20051, 20152. The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts. Writings from the Ancient World 23. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature.

Barbotin, Christophe 2005. La voix des hiéroglyphes. Promenade au département des antiquités égyptiennes du musée du Louvre. Paris: Kheops-Musée du Louvre.

Barguet, Paul 1967. Le Livre des Morts des anciens Égyptiens. Paris: Éditionsdu Cerf.

Bresciani, Edda 19691, 19993. Letteratura e poesia dell'antico Egitto. Cultura e società attraverso i testi. Torino: Einaudi.

Faulkner, Raymond O. 1973-1978 (reprint in 1 vol. 2004). The Ancient Egyptian Coffin Texts. 3 vols. Oxford: Aris & Phillips.

Faulkner, Raymond O. 19721, 19852. The Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead. London: British Museum Publications.

Foster, John L. 2001. Ancient Egyptian Literature. An Anthology. Austin: University of Texas Press.

Grandet, Pierre 1998. Contes de l'Égypte ancienne. Paris: Hachette.

Lichtheim, Miriam 1973-1980. Ancient Egyptian Literature. 3 vols. Berkeley-Los Angeles-London: University of California Press.

Mathieu, Bernard 2023. La littérature de l'Égypte ancienne, III: Moyen Empire et Deuxième Période Intermédiaire. Contes, enseignements et littérature d'idée. Paris: Les Belles Lettres.

Mathieu, Bernard 2025. La littérature de l'Égypte ancienne, IV: Nouvel Empire: XVIIIe Dynastie. Chants, hymnes, littérature funéraire et autobiographies. Paris: Les Belles Lettres.

Mathieu, Bernard 2026. La littérature de l'Égypte ancienne, V: Nouvel Empire: XVIIIe Dynastie. Eulogies et narrations royales, contes, enseignements et littérature d'idée. Paris: Les Belles Lettres.

Parkinson, Richard B. 1991. Voices from Ancient Egypt. An Anthology of Middle Kingdom Writings. London: British Museum Press.

Parkinson, Richard B. 1997. The Tale of Sinuhe and Other Ancient Egyptian Poems. 1940-1640 BC. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Quirke, Stephen 2013. Going out in Daylight - prt m hrw. The Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead: Translation, Sources, Meanings. GHP Egyptology 20. London: Golden House Publications.

Vernus, Pascal 20102. Sagesses de l'Égypte pharaonique. Arles: Actes Sud.

Vernus, Pascal 1992. Chants d'amour de l'Égypte antique. Paris: Imprimerie nationale.

C. HISTORY OF SINUHE: EDITIONS, TRANSLATIONS, AND STUDIES

Editions and facsimiles

Barns, John W.B. 1952. The Ashmolean Ostracon of Sinuhe. London: Oxford University Press.

Blackman, Aylward M. 1972. Middle-Egyptian Stories. Bibliotheca Aegyptiaca 2. Bruxelles: Fondation Égyptologique Reine Élisabeth.

Gardiner, Alan H. 1909. DieErzählung des Sinuhe und die Hirtengeschichte. Literarische Texte des Mittleren Reiches 2 = Hieratische Papyrus aus den Königlichen Museen zu Berlin 5. Leipzig: Hinrichs.

Koch, Roland 1990. Die Erzählung des Sinuhe. Bibliotheca Aegyptiaca 17. Bruxelles: Fondation Égyptologique Reine Élisabeth.

Translations

Bresciani, Edda 1999. Letteratura e poesia dell'antico Egitto. Torino: Einaudi.

Fortuny Boladeras, Jordi (catalan version); Pastor, Perico (illustrations). 2013. La vida de Sinuhè oel gust de la mort. Barcelona: Associació de Bibliòfils de Barcelona.

Galán, José Manuel 1998. Cuatro viajes en la literatura del antiguo Egipto. Madrid: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas.

*Grandet, Pierre 1998. Contes de l'Égypte ancienne. Paris: Hachette.

Lefebvre, Gustave 1982. Romans et contes égyptiens de l'époque pharaonique. Paris: Maisonneuve.

Lichtheim, Miriam 1973-1980. Ancient Egyptian Literature. 3 vols.Berkeley-Los Angeles-London: University of California Press.

López, Jesús 20051, 20222. Cuentos y fábulas del Antiguo Egipto. Barcelona-Madrid: Publicacions dela UB-Trotta.

*Mathieu, Bernard 2023. La littérature de l'Égypte ancienne, III: Moyen Empire et Deuxième Période Intermédiaire. Contes, enseignements et littérature d'idée. Paris: Les Belles Lettres.

*Parkinson, Richard B. 1997. The Tale of Sinuhe and Other Ancient Egyptian Poems. 1940-1640 BC. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Simpson, William K. (ed.) 1973. The Literature of Ancient Egypt. New Haven-London: Yale University Press.

* Especially recommended

Studies

Baines, John 1982. Interpreting Sinuhe. JEA 68: 31-44.

Cervelló Autuori, Josep 2013. Prefaci. In: Fortuny Boladeras, Jordi (catalan version); Pastor, Perico (illustrations). La vida de Sinuhè o el gust de la mort. Barcelona: Associació de Bibliòfils de Barcelona: 9-23. [Spanish version for the MOOC Coursera-UAB in "Egiptología": 2014. La Historia de Sinuhé: contexto histórico, contexto literario, trama.]

Obsomer, Claude 1999. Sinouhé l'Égyptien et les raisons de son exil. Le Muséon 112: 207-271.

Tobin, Vincent A. 1995. The Secret of Sinuhe. JARCE 32: 161-178.

D. THE TWO BROTHERS: EDITION, TRANSLATIONS, AND STUDIES

Edition, facsimil, and photographs

Gardiner, Alan H. 1981. Late-Egyptian Stories. Bibliotheca Aegyptiaca 1.Bruxelles: Fondation Égyptologique Reine Élisabeth.

Möller, Georg 1927. Hieratische Lesestücke für den akademischen Gebrauch. Vol. 2. Leipzig: Hinrichs'sche Buchhandlung.

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=113977&partId=1&searchText=

Translations

Bresciani, Edda 1999. Letteratura e poesia dell'antico Egitto. Torino: Einaudi.

*Grandet, Pierre 1998. Contes de l'Égypte ancienne. Paris: Hachette.

*Hollis, Susan T. 1990. The Ancient Egyptian 'Tale of Two Brothers'. The Oldest Fairy Tale in the World. Oklahoma Seriesin Classical Culture 7. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.

Lefebvre, Gustave 1982. Romans et contes égyptiens de l'époque pharaonique. Paris: Maisonneuve.

Lichtheim, Miriam 1973-1980. Ancient Egyptian Literature. 3 vols.Berkeley-Los Angeles-London: University of California Press.

López, Jesús 20051, 20222. Cuentos y fábulas del Antiguo Egipto. Barcelona-Madrid: Publicacions de la UB-Trotta.

*Mathieu, Bernard 2015. Le conte des Deux Frères. P. d'Orbiney = P. BM EA 10183 (teaching material published by the author on Academia.edu).

Simpson, William K. (ed.) 1973. The Literature of Ancient Egypt. New Haven-London: Yale University Press.

* Especially recommended

Studies

Hollis, Susan T. 1990. The Ancient Egyptian 'Tale of Two Brothers'. The Oldest Fairy Tale in the World. Oklahoma Series in Classical Culture 7. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press (with good bibliography since 1990).

Mathieu, Bernard 2015. Le conte des Deux Frères. P. d'Orbiney = P. BM EA 10183 (teaching material published by the author on Academia.edu, with good updated bibliography).

Software

JSesh, hieroglyphic writing software.
It can be downloaded free of charge from: https://jsesh.qenherkhopeshef.org/

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TEm) Theory (master) 1 Spanish annual afternoon